Harmonica



June 1, 19 48. J. MESSNER 2,442,370

HARMONICA Filed Aug. 18, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. .fczo c Messner 4W MW J. MESSNER HARMONICA June 1,1948.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 18 1944 INVENTOR.

Jae/L ZWessner' BY 647W ATTORNEY Patented June 1, 1948 UNHTED STATES PTENT QEFICE HARMONICA Jack Messner, Hillside, N. J.

Application August 18, 1944, Serial No. 550,937

6 Claims. 1

This invention is a new and useful improvement in harmonicas or mouth organs, of which the following is a specification. The invention will be fully understood from the following description read in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side View of the instrument of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the construction shown in Fig. i;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. t is a bottom view of the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. is a section through the construction shown in Fig. 1 on the plane indicated by 5-5;

Fig. 6 is a section through the construction shown in Fig. 1 on the plane indicated by 6-6;

Fig. '7 is a section through the construction shown in Figs. 1-5 on the plane indicated by 'l-l in Fig. 5;

Fig. 3 is a section through the construction shown in Figs. 15 on the plane indicated by 8-43 in Fig. 5 and Fig. 9 is a plan view of one element of the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, '7 and 3.

The harmonica or mouth organ I of my invention comprises body portion 2. This is integral with the mouthpiece 3. A number of play holes 4 for the ingress and egress of air terminate in surface 5. As indicated in Figs. 5 and 8, that portion of these holes adjacent the surface 5 is of. substantially tubular form and the play hole gradually flares out, as indicated in Fig. 8, to substantially rectangular cross-section at the point where each play hole terminates in the surface 6 (Fig. 5) forming reed cells 6'.

As shown in Figs. 2, '7 and 8, the body portion 2 is preferably substantially bell-shaped in transverse section. The reed plate I of rectangular outline (Fig. 9) rests upon and overlays the surface 6, to bring each pair of reeds 8 over the corresponding reed cell 6. The reed plate I is in turn overlayed by sound cover 9 defining tone openings ll of circular form in the ends and of slotted form I2 in the sides (Figs. 1 and 6).

The sound cover, reed plate and body portion are assembled and secured merely by passing screws l3 through holes M in cover 9, through holes iii in reed plate '1, and threading same up into holes :9 in body portion 2.

The sound cover and body portion can be made of wood, plastic or any similar material provid- 5 ing a clean smooth surface.

I claim:

1. A harmonica. comprising a body portion forming a mouthpiece and defining a number of play holes extending linearly from said mouthpiece, said body portion also forming a substantially fiat surface in which said play holes terminate centrally in reed cells, and a reed plate overlaying said flat surface.

2. A harmonica according to claim 1 comprising also a sound cover resting on said reed plate.

3. A harmonica comprising a body portion forming a mouthpiece and defining a number of play holes extending linearly from said mouthpiece, said body portion also forming a substantially flat surface normal to said play holes, in which said play holes terminate centrally in reed cells, and a reed plate overlaying said flat surface.

4. A harmonica according to claim 3 comprising also a sound cover resting on said reed plate.

5. A harmonica comprising a body portion forming a mouthpiece of substantially bell-shaped cross-section defining a number of play holes extending linearly from said mouth-piece, said body portion also forming a substantially flat 30 surface in which said play holes terminate centrally in reed cells, and a reed plate overlaying said flat surface.

6. Aharmonica according to claim 5 comprising also a sound cover resting on said reed plate.

JACK MESSNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,577,899 Dusinberre Mar. 23, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 213,081 Germany Sept. 6, 1909 

